When the ‘Bad’ Foods Feel the Best!

My feature on ‘slider foods’ caused quite a stir (see here). So many of you wrote to say how easy it was to slip into the habits of old and allow these kind of foods to take over again after surgery – and how much you regretted it but were pleased to now see them for what they were – nutritionally poor and certainly addictive.

I was reminded of this again today when my friend Steph (who we’ve featured before as a guest writer) grappled with the concept of such foods when they hinder weight-loss simply because they are easier to eat and seemingly are ‘easier on the pouch’.

by Food Coach Me

Popcorn. Crackers. Cheese Nips.

These are foods you know you aren’t supposed to be eating after weight-loss surgery. You don’t need a class from a dietitian to know that! But why is it that these foods, or other high carb “no-no” foods, go down so easily and agree with your pouch so nicely?

This is not a fun conversation in my office. For either of us. My patient tells me the only food that seems to sit well are the foods I’m telling her not to eat. I’m telling her she needs to get back to protein for her long-term success. We are not meeting eye-to-eye in this moment! It can get awkward.

Let’s play this out.

My patient is trying to eat protein but it makes her feel sick, uncomfortable or just “ehhh” so she finds herself chasing meals with a couple crackers.

Or.

Another patient is finding popcorn to be light and easy on her stomach and a really nice evening snack. She’s always had light popcorn for snacks on previous diets because it was so low-calorie.

Or.

Crackers, Cheese Nips, pretzels…they finally have some flavor and CRUNCH that this patient has been missing. He just wants some enjoyment in his food again.

All three of these scenarios are SO common. And you know what…each of them are totally validated. I get it. I don’t judge them! And that’s the hardest part to get across when I’m also trying to help them break this dangerous habit.

It sucks. It’s totally unfair. The foods that go down the best are the ones that are the worst for your weight-loss. It’s like finding the only dress that ISN’T on sale but it’s the one you want more than anything. I’m not sure that it’s irony as much as it is just CRUEL!

It’s true. High starch foods will go down more easily. All foods start “mechanical” digestion in the mouth when you chew. With carbohydrates the enzyme digestion process STARTS in your mouth with your saliva. This doesn’t happen with protein.

This means, by the time a cracker or pretzel or popcorn reaches your stomach pouch, it’s been digested pretty darn well beforehand. When a solid protein like chicken reaches your stomach pouch, it’s just STARTING to be digested. Yep. Your stomach is harder at work on a protein. When you’ve eaten a teensie weenie bit too fast or too much, you’re going to notice it with a protein that hasn’t been soften up before it reaches that tight little stomach pouch. But if you go too fast on some popcorn, you feel great! No problem there! This is also why protein is so great for weight-loss. It takes longer to digest so you aren’t hungry for a longer amount of time.

I know I’m a broken record but you really want to take smaller bites and eat slowly.

This practice is not going to mean starches don’t sound good or will continue to feel better on your stomach. That’s probably always true. What it DOES mean is that you can tolerate the protein and feel comfortable after your meal, even if it isn’t AS comfortable as Sun Chips. At least this gives you a shot at making the right choice. You still have to MAKE the choice…and that’s something no one can do for you. #adultingishard

It’s a harsh truth. Just because something goes well and feels good doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for your weight-loss progress. No, your body isn’t telling you something. No, you aren’t deficient in something that you have to eat because it feels good. Don’t trust those feelings. Starches feel good because they are soft and mushy and are easier to tolerate. You DO still have to make good choices. Listen to your body for cues of fullness and get to know what your body is telling you for true hunger and true satiety (feeling satisifed after a meal) but don’t trust it to tell you want to eat. You have to use your noggin’ for that part 😉

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Comments

This is so so true, you still need to make the right choice, other than the easy one, that’s why food is an addition, the chocolate, the ice cream, the biscuits. I’m 2 1/2 years out, 7 st down but I still need to lose more & I’m finding it very hard because I can eat these. I need to control the hunger for them to see the weight dropping off, it’s the wrong the food that is stopping me…..